Tips to Roll Out AI In Your Firm, AI Squeezing Audit Fees

Could AI make a one-person audit firm possible—and what happens if the data-center boom slows down first? Blake and David examine the AI economy’s circular debt, the construction ripple effects of a pullback, and practical ways firms can document workflows before automating them. They also cover AI-powered continuous audits, Mercury’s new general ledger, and tax evasion headlines. Sponsors Digits - http://accountingpodcast.promo/digits Thomson Reuters - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxautomation OnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpay Cloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cas Chapters (00:00) - OnlyFans Tax Evasion (00:27) - Podcast Welcome Halloween (04:02) - News Lineup (06:34) - AI Bubble Warning (14:14) - AI Adjusted EBITDA (18:07) - SOP Marathon For AI (21:19) - AI SOP Workflow Tip (26:41) - Christina Ho AI Audits (29:22) - Audit Fees Under AI (29:55) - Audit Fees Surge (30:57) - AI Disrupts Audits (33:56) - Solo CPA Audit Firm (35:26) - Who Wins and Loses (35:52) - Audit Demand Explained (36:40) - Tech Enables New Entrants (38:26) - Audit Like Cloud Accounting (42:00) - ‌ (43:03) - IRS Refund Nightmare (44:33) - OnlyFans Tax Evasion (46:51) - Punishing Financial Crime (49:59) - Mercury Launches Books (52:22) - Can Banks Compete (54:33) - Is Mercury Enough (56:44) - Wrap Up and CPE   Show Notes NRF: Halloween spending to remain strong, reach $13.5B https://chainstoreage.com/nrf-halloween-spending-remain-strong-reach-135b Too interconnected to fail? New paper connects the AI dots https://www.axios.com/2026/09/21/ai-finance-credit-circular The AI gold rush has a dress code: steel-toe boots https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/articles/ai-gold-rush-dress-code-233725771.html 40% of Small Businesses Lack Cash Reserves to Survive a Month of Late Client Payments https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/09/21/40-of-small-businesses-lack-cash-reserves-to-survive-a-month-of-late-client-payments/190371/ AI Future Savings Is Latest Ebitda Tweak to Jolt Debt Investors https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-17/ai-future-savings-is-latest-ebitda-tweak-to-jolt-debt-investors How to run a SOPathon: The missing first step in every AI strategy https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/community/industry-insights/how-to-run-a-sopathon-the-missing-first-step-in-every-ai-strategy The 3-phase roadmap every accounting firm needs before AI delivers https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/the-3-phase-roadmap-every-accounting-firm-needs-before-ai-delivers Process Street MCP Server https://www.process.st/help/docs/mcp-server/ Christina Ho's next act https://www.cfobrew.com/stories/christina-hos-next-act AI sounds the death knell for audit fee inflation https://www.ft.com/content/80d02797-9a54-47e0-8bc3-a7144354da93 Tennessee Farmer Tried to Return $20,000 to IRS. Years Later, He's Still Fighting https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/07/23/tennessee-farmer-tried-to-return-20000-to-irs-years-later-hes-still-fighting/187281/ OnlyFans content creator pleads guilty to tax evasion https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/onlyfans-content-creator-pleads-guilty-to-tax-evasion Mercury Launches Intelligent Accounting with Mercury Books https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20260916850195/mercury-launches-intelligent-accounting-with-mercury-books Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.com Subscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040. Sponsorships Are you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus. Need Accounting Conference Info?  Check out our new website - accountingconferences.com Limited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessities TeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merch Subscribe Apple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcasts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcast Spotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/Spotify Podchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaser Stitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/Stitcher Overcast: http://cloudacctpo...